PES Women presented the campaign ‘Safe Place for Women’ at their statutory meeting in London, attended by Claire Reynolds, Chair of the Labour Party’s Women’s Network, and Lib Peck, Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit. Stella Creasy, a Member of Parliament, participated in the meeting too.
#SafePlace4Women was launched by PES Women President, Zita Gurmai, and PES CoR President, Christophe Rouillon last year in Valencia. The campaign calls on authorities to declare their cities and regions as safe spaces for women by committing to policies that ensure women’s safety, including a resolution that contains 12 measures that can be adopted by local authorities.
PES Women President Zita Gurmai said:
“We must ensure the protection of women’s rights across Europe now and in the future and fight the increasing resistance to women’s rights and gender equality stirred by the far-right. The 2024 EU elections provide an excellent opportunity to push for the implementation of an EU Charter to ensure their protection now and in the future. Our political family must run a strong, feminist campaign.”
Over half of women in the European Union have experienced sexual harassment and one in three women has been a victim of physical and/or sexual violence. The measures contained in the resolution include shelters for victims of violence, banning sexist advertising, and rethinking the overall design of our cities in areas such as transport or the lighting in public spaces.
PES Women is not alone in tackling gender-based violence in cities. Labour Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has been pivotal in making London a safe place for women by implementing a Women’s Night Safety Charter. Initiatives like this are making a difference for women.
